Screaming Trees were an American rock band formed in Ellensburg, Washington, in 1984. Built around vocalist Mark Lanegan, guitarist Gary Lee Conner, bassist Van Conner, and drummer Mark Pickerel, the group became one of the more distinctive acts associated with the Pacific Northwest alternative-rock movement. Although often described as a grunge band, Screaming Trees drew just as heavily from 1960s psychedelia, garage rock, country rock, hard rock, and punk.
The band developed in a small college town, where the Conner brothers and Lanegan shared an interest in independent music. Their early sound combined distorted guitars with melodic songwriting and a loose, atmospheric quality that separated them from many of their heavier contemporaries. Their first album, Clairvoyance, appeared on Velvetone Records in 1986. The record established the group's psychedelic foundation and helped attract the attention of SST Records, one of the most important American independent labels of the era.
SST released Even If and Especially When in 1987, followed by Invisible Lantern in 1988 and Buzz Factory in 1989. These albums showed the band moving between abrasive punk-influenced rock and expansive, guitar-driven psychedelia. In 1988, the label also issued Other Worlds, a collection drawn from the band's early recordings. Screaming Trees built a loyal following through constant touring, but their progress was complicated by internal tension and the uneven working habits that would affect the group throughout its career.
After making the Change Has Come EP for Sub Pop in 1990, Screaming Trees signed with Epic Records. Their major-label debut, Uncle Anesthesia, was released in 1991 and was produced by Terry Date and Soundgarden vocalist Chris Cornell. The album brought a cleaner and more forceful presentation without abandoning the band's murky guitar sound. Drummer Mark Pickerel departed during this period and was replaced by Barrett Martin, whose playing became an important part of the group's mature style.
The band's breakthrough arrived with Sweet Oblivion in 1992. Its single "Nearly Lost You" appeared on the soundtrack to the film Singles and received substantial exposure on MTV and alternative radio. Driven by Lanegan's weathered baritone, the song became Screaming Trees' best-known recording and helped Sweet Oblivion become their most commercially successful album. Other tracks, including "Dollar Bill" and "Shadow of the Season", reinforced the band's gift for balancing memorable melodies with a dark, slightly surreal atmosphere.
Despite the attention generated by Sweet Oblivion, Screaming Trees never achieved the sustained mainstream success of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, or Soundgarden. Their frequent lineup difficulties and periods of inactivity made it difficult to maintain momentum. The band regrouped for Dust in 1996, produced by George Drakoulias. The album presented a broader, more roots-oriented sound, with songs such as "All I Know" and "Halo of Ashes" emphasizing melody, texture, and Lanegan's increasingly commanding vocal presence. The group toured with Lollapalooza but entered another prolonged hiatus afterward.
Screaming Trees officially broke up after a June 2000 performance in Seattle. Later releases, including Ocean of Confusion: Songs of Screaming Trees 1989-1996 and Last Words: The Final Recordings, documented the band's work and included material from its later period. Lanegan went on to a respected solo career and numerous collaborations, while the Conner brothers and Martin pursued other musical projects. Screaming Trees remain remembered for bringing a psychedelic and roots-rock dimension to the grunge era, and for creating a body of work that was more varied and enduring than their reputation as a one-hit alternative-rock act might suggest.